10 Commandments: Why? Confessions of a Perfectionist

The "law," 10 Commandments, "rules," and craziness most speak about seems to be ironic coming from a "loving" God right?

If you want a super quick answer. . . scroll to the bottom for the "motto." If you want details and stories read on. . .

I'm a pastor's kid, grew up in the church and most of my life I tried to live up to the "perfect" standards of THE LAW. After years and years I discovered it is IMPOSSIBLE to do this. . . no matter the discipline, no matter the determination, or even the "good intent." I continued to fail. . .

I was pretty mad at God for setting such a absolutely cruel standard of righteousness and holiness . . . telling me I needed to be this way, but knowing FULLY, I COULD NOT.

One day I decided to run away from God and PEACE OUT! I quit and gave up! I decided that since He was ridiculous and I was a big failure it was just time to face the fact of incompatibility. The oddest thing happened to me. . .

In the midst of my running, I kept finding Him, but I would find Him at IHOP at 2am. . . in my conversations with friends, in my dreams, in my thoughts and I flipped. I yelled at Him, "I've given everything to you, everything I love and like. . .and yet you still do not show me that you love me." Then God reminded me of the verse, "Greater love has no man than this; He who lays down his life for a friend."As I started to get ready to tell God that He's never really done that for me a light bulb went on. . . God sent Jesus to literally die on a cross to show me the length of His love for me. . . He knew I would be angry at him, that I would leave him, run from him, and run to other things besides him, but he still let Jesus lay his life down for me. . .

Then it also clicked. . . the "LAW"  . . . all of the rigorous rituals and commands. . . lead me to see. . . I need help. . . I'm not perfect and even though I tried MY best. . . there's NO WAY on this green earth that I can ever be holy enough, good enough, or righteous enough. . . the only way I could live up to such crazy standards is by the assistance of someone who is capable of doing these things AND did them with success. . . that is Jesus Christ.

The whole purpose of the law is to point us to Jesus, not to make us squirm like worms in the dry sun. By natural we as humans are independent, proud, survival of the fittest of which is based in a fear, unless we know that we need help AND are safe to ask for it. . . we won't, ha! I say this from experience!!

God did 2 things then. . . 1) Laid His life down in love. . . to show us His dedication to us and overwhelming love for us (safety) and 2) Created a way for us to live a life with Him that relieves us from striving to be perfect and failing miserably. . . or what the Bible calls. . . "living according to the law."

Motto of the blog. . . the LAW's purpose is to brings us to the knowledge of our need for Jesus as humans and then receive the LIFE of knowing Jesus and letting Him help us through life's adventures. . . :)